WhyKnott2Day

WhyKnott2Day t1_iy7b6z5 wrote

Reply to comment by n0tjamesfranc0 in Removing mastic while preserving hardwood floors underneath? by SummitWanderer

No offense, but it is never a good idea to dry sand anything that has even the slightest possibly of containing asbestos, that's how it becomes airborne and gets into your lungs. Always keep anything you suspect that may potentially contain asbestos wet so it doesn't become airborne...hence using a wallpaper steamer and a putty knife to remove the mastic...and then do a light damp sand, wiping down as you go, to make sure you have removed every bit of it before letting it completely dry (a good 2 weeks, or more if it's humid) and then begin your refinishing sanding.

Source: https://inspectapedia.com/hazmat/Asbestos_Wetting_Procedure.php

Edit: added source

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WhyKnott2Day t1_iy6uhyr wrote

Reply to comment by plaidbanana_77 in Removing mastic while preserving hardwood floors underneath? by SummitWanderer

Agree except NO heat gun... use steam and a putty knife. A heat gun used on mastic and/or unknown "varnish" can (and will) cause toxic fumes...

Source: I have refinished a third of the wood floors in my 122 yr old house, most of which have/had at least 3 layers of linoleum and 1 or 2 layers of carpet and foam padding... ended up hospitalized for acute respiratory distress due to chemical pneumonia from using a heat gun to soften the mastic... Took 5 months to recover fully.

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